Cigarette perforator



G. RISK CIGARETTE PERFORATOR Filed Oct. 25, 1964 May 10, 1966 GEa'RZ WfM MKHW ATTGR/W y United States Patent 3,250,279 CIGARETTE PERFORATOR George Risk, Columbus, Nebr., assignor to George Risk Industries, Inc., Columbus, Nebn, a corporation of Colorado Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,094

1 Claim. (Cl. 131170) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application filed May 4, 1964, Serial No. 364,422 which has matured into Patent No. 3,158,157 on November 24, 1964, and which is also entitled, Cigarette Perforator.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for providing a plurality of perforations circumferentially about the periphery of a cigarette. In particular, this invention is directed to a compact, exceedingly simple, and durable cylindrical apparatus that provides the plurality of circularly disposed perforations into the cigarette at a pre-selected depth.

The cigarette perforator device of the parent patent application discloses five main components: a circumferentially grooved plunger member; a barrel member revolvably and slidably secured about the plunger member first end; a restraining peg passing through the barrel member and extending into the plungers circumferential groove; a cam-like cap member integral with the second end of the plunger member; and a spacing pin attached to a top end of the barrel member, opposite the cam-like cap.

It is the object of the present invention to further simplify and to render more compact the cigarette perforator device disclosed in the parent patent application, without sacrifice of the advantages and capabilities thereof.

This object is accomplished by the elimination of two main components and by a modification of the remaining components. Specifically, the spacing pin and cam-like cap member are eliminated. Of the several modifications in the remaining components, one of the more significant is the creation of a cam-like contour in the plunger member circumferential groove.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the cigarette perforator.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the perforator taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1 and includes a cigarette in elevation therein before being perforated.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded side elevational view of the several parts of the cigarette perforator device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the plunger member component.

Cigarette perforator of the present invention comprises a cylindrical plunger member 11, a first end having a cylindrical socket 12 along the plunger member central axis. Extending a finite distance from the plunger member first end and along the longtiudinal central axis thereof is a cylindrical bore 13, said perforation having a'slightly smaller diameter than does cylindrical socket 12. Cylindrical plunger member 11 is provided with a circumferential groove 27, said groove having two side walls 28 and 29. Side wall 29, which is nearest to the plunger member second end is of a cam-like configuration.

A cylindrical comb member 18, comprising a cylindrical array of sharply pointed teeth 19 integrally joined together in spaced relationship by means of a cylindrical web 20, is tightly surrounded by the cylindrical socket 12. As is shown in the FIGURE 3 exploded view, the cylindrical comb member 18 may be conveniently provided in flat planar form and then subsequently rolled into cylindrical form for insertion into socket 12 of plunger member 11. The comb member is preferably made from a resiliently deflectable sheet material e.g. sheet metal,

3,250,279 Patented May 10, 1966 "ice because when subsequently rolled into cylindrical form, the resiliency of the material will cause the cylindrical comb member to expand against and be tightly held by plunger member 11. There are several ways in which the cylindrical array of sharply pointed teeth may be in tegrally attached to the plunger member first end so that the teeth extend substantially parallel with the plunger member longitudinal central axis. For example, comb member 18 may be soldered or welded to the plunger member first end. Alternatively, as shown in the drawing, comb member 18 may be pressed tightly within socket 12 by means of a substantially rigid centrally perforate split ring 21.

A thin-walled hollow barrel member 22 revolvably and slidably encloses both the first end of plunger 11 and the attached sharply pointed teeth 19. The outside contour of said barrel member 22 is of cylindrical configuration. The interior contour of hollow barrel member 22 adjacent to a top edge 23 is of a cylindrical nature while the bottom 24 of the interior contour is of a convergent nature, herein hemispherical. Barrel member 22 includes an axial perforation 25 that intersects interior bottom 24. Slidable attachment of hollow barrel member 22 to the plunger member 11 is herein provided by means of a restraining peg 26 passing through and attached to the barrel member thin wall, said restraining peg 26 protruding into circumferential groove 27 of plunger member 11.

There are indicator means comprising two constituents: a pointer 15; and graduated indicia herein as characters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. One constituent of said indicator means must be carried by the plunger member near the second end thereof, while the other constituent is carried by the barrel member 22 near a top end 23 thereof. In the drawing, the graduated indicia are stamped onto the barrel member 22 while the pointer is present as a longitudinal groove 15 on plunger member 11. Alternatively, the pointer may be carried by the barrel member 22 and the graduated indicia may be carried by the plunger member 11. Thus, the indicator means indicates the rotational relationship between restraining peg 26 and cam contour 29.

The cigarette perforator 10 of the present invention operates in the following manner. Barrel member 22 is rotated about plunger member 11 until the arbitrarily selected indicia character is opposite pointer 15. Then, one end (that which is to be ultimately placed into the snack ers mouth) of a conventional inch diameter cigarette 30 is inserted a convenient distance through barrel perforation 25 and into the interior of barrel member 22. Next, the plunger member 11 is moved rightwardly, as shown in FIG. 2, into barrel member 22 until the arbitrarily selected portion cam wall 29, as determined by the indicator means, engages restraining peg 26. During this rightward movement, the sharply pointed teeth 19 are convergently directed toward perforation 25 by the convergent interior bottom 24 pressing against teeth 19. Each of the convergently directed teeth penetrate through the cigarette paper outer wrap and deeply into the tobacco enclosed thereby so as to provide a plurality of perforations circumferentially about cigarette 30. When the plunger member 11 is slidably returned to its original leftward position, the array of sharply pointed teeth 19, being resiliently defiectable, reassumes its normal cylindrical configuration. If the teeth possess a high degree of resiliency, they will deflect perpendicularly toward the central axis of the plunger member 11 and return the plunger member to its original leftward position. The depth to which the teeth penetrate the cigarette is determined by the degree of rightward travel of the plunger member as permitted by the relationship of the restraining pin to the cam-like contour. The permissible degree of rightward travel is governed by the arbitrarily positionable rotational rela tionship of barrel member 22 with respect to plunger member 11, this rotational relationship being shown by the indicator means.

It is manifestly clear, therefore, that the combination of the restraining peg 26 attached to barrel member 22 in conjunction with the cam-like groove 27 of plunger member 11 provides means to arbitrarily limit slidable movement of the plunger member 11 with respect to barrel member 22. It is obvious that the groove 27 may extend but partially around the circumference of plunger member 11. Thus, the following equivalent modification is one of many that readily suggests itself to one skilled in the art. Restraining peg 26 could be attached directly to the circumferential periphery of plunger member 11, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis thereof. Then, the thin Wall of barrel member could be perforately provided with a cam-like slot, said slot extending but partially about the cylindrical circumference of barrel member 22.

From the foregoing, the construction and the operation of the device Will be readily understood and further explanation is believed tobe unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the appended claim.

.1 claim:

A device for providing a plurality of perforations circularly disposed about a cigarette and to a pre-selected depth, said device comprising:

(A) a cylindrical plunger member, a first end having a bore extending along the central axis thereof, said cylindrical plunger member being circumferentially grooved, the groove Wall nearest to the plunger member second end having an inclined wall of a camlike contour,

(B) a cylindrical array of sharply pointed teeth integrally attached to the first end of said plunger member, said cylindrical array extending substantially parallel With the longitudinal central axis of said plunger -member, said sharply pointed teeth being resiliently defiectable perpendicular to the central axis of said cylindrical plunger member,

(C) a thin-walled hollow barrel member revolvably and slidably secured about said plunger member first end, the interior contour of said barrel member being cylindrical near a top end thereof and of convergent configuration at the bottom end, said hollow barrel member being perforate along the central axis thereof through the bottom of said interior contour,

(D) a restraining peg passing through and attached to the thin wall of said hollow barrel member, said restraining peg' extending into the circumferentially grooved portion of said cylindrical plunger member and adapted to engage said inclined wall to limit the relative sliding movement of said plunger and barrel, and

(E) indicator means comprising graduated indicia and a pointer therefor, one constituent of said indicator means being carried by the plunger member near the second end thereof, and the other constituent of said indicator means being carried by the barrel member near a top end thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,596,679 8/1926 Mortimer 131-225 1,628,570 5/1927 Anderson 131-254 2,690,754 10/1954 Burthey 131-190 X 2,832,354 4/1958 Miller 131-254 2,967,528 1/1961 Kelter 131-223 X SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. I

. JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

